Wherever I Am

Chapter 22 - Part 2

I adjusted the heat on the shower, then stepped in. Lunch was good, and it was siesta time, so I could finally relax. I'd caught Sorina's eye before I left, so if I were lucky, I wouldn't be resting alone.

The door clicked open, and Sorina smiled as she looked me over. "Want company?"

"You know it," I said and watched her take off her clothes.

As she stepped in, I heard a whispered "Come on" and bare feet running toward us. I pulled Sorina down into the tub as Oana showed up, half-dragging Teo, both naked, soot smudges on their faces, and climbing over the edge into the water.

"He's never seen a shower, Uncle Kevin," Oana declared as she pushed him under the stream.

I groaned, and Sorina gave me an amused look. "Well then," she said. "Let's get you two cleaned up. "Lord Kevin, you get Master Teo, and I'll get Maid Oana."

Ellie did the babysitting. Why was I doing this? I sighed and grabbed the bar of soap, pulled Teo out of the spray, and started lathering him up. "Why were you in there?"

"It's my bedroom, so we slept there after archery," Oana said. "We helped Master Tadzi last night and didn't sleep much."

"He's Lord Nathan's page," I replied, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice.

"But he wasn't there, and Teo didn't want to sleep alone, and I'm his big sister now, so I have to take care of him."

"What?"

"I adopted him," she continued before I could ask anything more. "He didn't have anyone, so I adopted him like you adopted me, so he's my little brother, and you're his uncle. Aunt Ellie is his aunt."

I'm not sure what the expression was on my face, but her smile dropped, and Teo looked like he might pee himself. I didn't need this right now.

"Fine," I heard myself say. "But no more, and you need to make sure Ellie is okay with it."

Oana's smile returned, and Teo at least went back to only looking scared. What had I just done? I pointed at Teo. "You need to do a good job being Lord Nathan's page. You understand?"

He nodded, going wide-eyed a moment, and I tousled his hair.

"I want my hair to look like Lord Nathan's," Oana said.

"Yours is too dark," Teo said.

"I mean as long," and she gestured at the nape of her neck. "So it'll cover this scar. That long."

"You can barely even see it now," Sorina said, touching the spot.

"Your scars look a lot better, too," Oana said, flashing a smile.

Teo looked at Sorina. "What happened?"

"She killed a Sobeck," Oana said, and Teo looked at me.

"She definitely did, but it tried to kill her and Maid Mara," I agreed. "She didn't let it."

Sorina blushed.

Great, I thought. She has no problem being naked with the kids, but give her some praise....

"Rinse off and get out," I said, and they each danced under the shower before getting out.

"Dry off and get dressed," Sorina added. "Clean clothes. Your clothes at archery were filthy...and where are your clean clothes?"

"His are in Lord Nathan's chambers," Oana answered, "and mine are in Aunt Ellie's."

"Then wrap your towels around you. No bare bottoms out in the halls."

They wrapped themselves up and dashed out the door. Sorina followed them as far as the door and said, "Stefan, no interruptions, please," before shutting and bolting the door.

I breathed a sigh of relief, and she laughed.

"You're not used to that?"

"And you are?"

She winced and nodded. "I was the oldest, so I took care of the rest, especially after Mama died. I'd have Adrian and Mara in the tub with me because it was easier to scrub them that way. Then Stefan, after he was born and toddled, and later Eliza and Teo. If Papa were away, I'd take Stefan to Adrian and Mara's family's room, and we'd all sleep together."

"You were the built-in babysitter?"

She nodded as she stepped back into the tub, sadness on her face. "Until you came, and Ellie."

"And the four of you became our...I don't know...aides or something."

She snorted. "Something," then pulled herself against me. "I never imagined this. Lord Boian said it was only to Suata, then they'd find more suitable retainers, but you wouldn't let us go. It's like you made all of us family somehow."

"Yeah, and I did it again just now. I even want Gabriel to be a good squire though I'm not sure what that will take." I felt a tightness against my chest building and a welling up inside. "I don't even know what I want, but...." Then I was sobbing into her hair, and she crying into my chest.